Martin Brundle Breaks Down Controversial Saudi GP Start That P

Martin Brundle Breaks Down Controversial Saudi GP Start That Paved the Way for Piastri’s Stunning Win Over…read more

The 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix delivered its share of drama and controversy, adding extra spice to what was already an action-packed event. Max Verstappen, as expected, showcased his usual brilliance in qualifying by grabbing pole position with a stunning lap. He was aided slightly by a well-timed slipstream from Red Bull teammate Yuki Tsunoda, a crash from Lando Norris that brought out the red flag, and a smart fuel strategy from the Red Bull pit wall that allowed Max two quick laps when time resumed.

Verstappen is widely considered the top driver in Formula 1 right now. However, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri is proving to be a fast learner. Despite his relatively limited experience—163 races fewer than Verstappen and 82 behind Norris—the Australian now leads the championship and has claimed victory in 10% of his 51 starts. His growth continues to impress.

At the start of the race, Piastri made a better launch from second on the grid and was fully alongside Verstappen at the apex of the first corner. New stewarding guidelines introduced for this season clarified that when a driver is significantly alongside in a corner, they are no longer required to leave space for the outside car. Instead, it’s the responsibility of the driver on the outside to concede and fall in behind.

This rule was implemented to prevent drivers from simply going wide and claiming they were forced off track—an easy way to bait a penalty against the inside driver. On this occasion, Max appeared to try exactly that strategy. Rather than conceding the position, he opted to cut across the run-off area with minimal steering input and rejoined the track in the lead. It was a bold move, but one that backfired.

While Verstappen is known for exploiting the rulebook better than most, this time it didn’t work in his favor. The stewards handed him a five-second penalty, reduced from the standard 10 seconds due to the incident occurring on the opening lap in tight conditions. Despite a strong race performance, the penalty ultimately cost him the win, as he finished 2.8 seconds behind Piastri.

There’s speculation that if Red Bull had instructed Verstappen to immediately relinquish the lead back to Piastri, he might have still been able to reclaim it later in the race and secure the win. However, staying out front gave Max the benefit of clean air, allowing him to manage his tyres, brakes, and engine more effectively during the early laps. That strategic edge might have been worth the time penalty in Red Bull’s eyes.

Brundle notes that had there been a gravel trap, wall, or barrier on the outside of turn one, Verstappen would likely have yielded the position instead of risking a penalty. In this case, the absence of such deterrents allowed him to attempt the maneuver—but it was a gamble that didn’t pay off.